Synthesis of Isoxazoline-N-oxide through [3+2] Cycloaddition Wenyan Liao A catalytic cascade synthesis of Isoxazoline N-oxide was developed through prolinecatalyzed nitroalkene activation. A large variety of nitroalkenes and vinyl esters were suitable for this transformation, giving only trans isomer with good to excellent yields. Mechanistic studies revealed intramolecular cycloaddition as the rate-determining step. This strategy provided not only a new approach for the construction of substituted isoxazoline derivatives but further evidence of secondary amine nucleophilic activation of nitroalkene, an alternative path of proline catalysis. Development of 1,2,3-Triazole-Borane Complex as Effective Reagent for Aldehyde/Ketone Reductive Amination Wenyan Liao Air, moisture and thermally stable 1,2,3-triazole-boranes were successfully prepared and applied as reductants in aldehyde/ketone reductive amination with high efficiency and excellent substrate diversity. Detailed studies regarding to the reaction mechanism and application of this new reagent for other important transformations are currently under investigation in our group. iii DEDICATED TO My parents and my family iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Xiaodong Michael Shi, for his support, patience, and encouragement throughout my graduate studies. His mentorship was essential to the completion of this thesis and my graduate study.. My thanks also go to Dr. Kung Wang and Dr. George A. O'Doherty for their valuable comments that improved the contents of this thesis and their help during my time at WVU. I would also like to thank the former and present postdocs, Dr. Haifeng Duan (who helped me a lot during research and provided great contribution in my first project), Dr. Yuxiu Liu and Dr. Yunfeng Chen, my lab mates Cheng Zhong and Sujata Sengupta for their help both in my study and life. I want to thank all the faculty, staff and graduate students in Chemistry Department for their help in a variety of ways. Most importantly, I would like to thank my father Donghai Liao and my mother Baoyu Yang. Without their love and encouragement, I couldn't even survive in the foreign country. I would like to thank my parents-in-law, Lijuan Sun and Shengfu Zhong as well, who help me take care of my baby and my small family. Thanks to my dear daughter Sophia Zishan Zhong, I finished my own project after having her. Her cries and smiles enrich my life and give me strength to face the difficulties. The most special thanks will give to my husband Cheng Zhong for his love, understanding and precious help during the past few years. I would never forget the moment when he taught me to draw reaction mechanisms, revised my ppt slides, gave me research suggestions, took care of me when I was sick, and got up in the late night to change baby diapers. His support made this thesis possible. Thank you! Financial support from the National Science foundation, C.